


Vulnerable

by myriddin



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 15:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9498944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myriddin/pseuds/myriddin
Summary: Prompt: Sansa PoV on her growing feelings for Jon. Follows canon. Bonus scene of Sansa seeing Jons scars for the first time.





	

It didn’t take long after their reunion for Sansa’s feelings toward Jon to begin changing from the juvenile affection and hero worship she’d tried so hard to smother behind a mask of disinterest once she was old enough to recognize how differently her mother treated Jon.

She was grateful for Theon's part in her escape from Ramsay, felt a modicum of safety under Brienne's watchful eye, but it wasn't until the moment she had Jon's arms around her, felt him warm and solid and real against her, that she finally felt a small rekindling of relief and hope.

Even as fatalism and doubt clung to her like a shroud, she almost let herself believe him when he swore to protect her (not that she didn't believe he would try until his last breath, just that it was impossible for anybody to protect anyone). Then Jon nearly beat Ramsay Snow to death, only holding himself back to make sure she had a say in the fate of her abuser.

Sansa Stark had never loved anyone more than she did Jon Snow in that moment.

Despite his initial reluctance to accompany her to retake Winterfell, despite everything her septa had ever taught her about bastards, Jon had proven himself to be just as strong and brave and good as Father had been. So when he told her they needed to trust one another, the undertone to his words imploring her to please, please trust him if she could, Sansa realized she _did_ trust him. And when he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, his hand cupping her neck with a gentleness she hadn’t known since her parents’ last touch, she felt the warmth of that trust spread through her from head to toe.

xx

She understood why he had to go South, but that didn’t mean his absence didn’t feel like she was missing some essential part of herself. The reassurance of Brienne’s presence meant she was physically safe, but her mind was still vulnerable to the ghosts of her nightmares, no longer able to be soothed by strong arms and the bristly tickle of beard scruff against her skin with every kiss pressed to brow and temple.

The afternoon she returned from a routine trip to Wintertown and the steward met her with news of Jon’s return, Sansa found herself abandoning all decorum to race toward his room and burst into the bedchamber, throwing herself into his arms. It was only when he embraced her in return that she realized her hands resting on his back were touching bare skin, and the damp curl that brushed against her cheek gave ample clue that she must have interrupted him dressing after bathing.

Propriety demanded that she should have backed away immediately, but Sansa found herself lingering instead, savoring his warmth and scent before she reluctantly withdrew. She went to take a step back and create some distance, but stilled when she took in her first real view of his bare torso. Tears pricked eyes she couldn’t tear away from the scars littering his pale skin. “Oh, Jon.”

“Sansa…” He drew her back into his arms, hushing her gently as he swayed them back and forth, rocking their bodies in a subconscious urge to soothe. “All’s well, sweet girl. Please don’t cry.”

She sniffled. “I’m so sorry they did this to you, Jon.”

“Oh, sweetling, it’s done and over. There’s no need for tears.”

She drew back once more. “But it’s not over, is it? Not entirely.” She met his eyes, reading the dark shadows lurking behind his gaze.

Moving slowly and holding his eyes to watch for discomfort, she ran her fingers slowly down the furrowed scar lines starting from his chest and downward. “They nearly took you away before I found you again. I don’t think I could have ever forgiven that.”

He could feel a sadness creeping up in her and he raised his hand to brush his thumb against her cheek, chasing away the negative emotion with his touch. Her hands were splayed back across his back, stroking against the tense muscles until he slowly relaxed beneath her touch. He leaned down to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth. A shiver ran down her spine and she nestled closer, tucking her head against his shoulder as strong arms wrapped back around her. “I couldn’t bring myself to forgive their betrayal of me alone, but if they had kept me from you, Sansa…death couldn’t have saved them.”


End file.
